[Varda]

Her point was that it's best to be cautious with any medical technology. Those sound waves do reach the fetus and in the hands of trained personal, it's safe. But what is the training of the mall personal? Can they tell when a machine is functioning correctly and who do they have on staff in case something goes wrong?

I'll admit that I had not a care in the world about ultra-sound before she talked to me about it. It was a lesson in prudence that I appreciated.

[Aquinasfan]

But what is the training of the mall personal? Can they tell when a machine is functioning correctly and who do they have on staff in case something goes wrong?

I think it's safe to assume that they're abiding by the same state regs that apply to doctors' offices. Notice the wimpy nature of the doctors' complaints.

Massachusetts is the only state, as far as I know, where ultrasound exams must be "backed up" by a doctor. And even there, the doctor doesn't have to be in the same building. The exam can be sent via computer to a remote location and the doctor is obligated to review the film in something like 12-24 hours.

In an emergency (like a potential miscarriage) I assume that the staff is obligated to call an ambulance or recommend hospital treatment.

[heckler]

In Europe they routinelly use MRI's instead of ultrasound for prenatal checkups. Much more detailed and usefull for finding correctable problems.

[Lil'freeper]

They allow ear piercings in the mall and no one gets too hyped about it. I've seen moms hoisting their little ones up on the chair so a metal stud can be punched through the earlobe. It's painful and can become infected. As far as an elective medical procedure that is inflicted on a child goes, ear piercing is more traumatic than a sonogram.

I'm sure that, if there isn't one already, a licensing industry will rise up to train and monitor the ultrasound techs. After all hair dressers are licensed as are the optometry techs and they operate safely in any given mall every day.